Sep 11
If you’re willing to think outside of the box there are plenty more things you can do with hardwood floors than merely staining them. Have you considered painting your floors? If so, check out this guide first to ensure your hard work will really pay off.
Image by: tofutti break
Preparation
Before you get started there are a few things you need to check off your list first; clean, sand and prime.
To make sure the paint goes on smoothly you first need to give your floor a good wash and vacuum. After cleaning your floor properly it needs to be sanded down and primed so that the paint will go on evenly.
If you have some experience working with hardwood floors then by all means, go ahead with this stage of the project yourself. If you don’t however there’s no shame in hiring someone to get the nitty gritty work out of the way before you start the fix up process.
Image by Scrap Pile
Paint
After you’ve decided what colours will work well with the scheme of your room, it’s time to pick up the paintbrush! When buying your paint look for Farrow and Ball floor paint, a great option as it won’t need a sealer and is incredibly durable.
Image by: misimisimos
Design
When deciding what kind of designs you want on your floor you can really go as far as your imagination takes you. If the furniture in that room is quite neutral then why not go for a more intricate and unique design on the flooring?
Image by: artnoose
Many people are painting their floors with a checker-board print. To get this design you’ll just need painting tape; paint the background colour first (the lighter shade), then lay down the tape in the pattern you want once it’s completely dry and paint the highlights.
Other designs include painted-on rugs, broad or narrow stripes, zigzag stripes and large floral creations. If you’re not a very artsy person and your design requires more than some paint tape then you could paint the base colour first and use a stencil to help paint the design on top.
Any other ideas? Tell me below!
Estelle Page is an interior designer with a fondness for the homely quality of hardwood floors and wooden conservatories.
Sep 09
Dulux have joined the coffee companies and decided to address their packaging in a bid to reduce the amount of plastic they need to sell their products.
To gauge consumer reaction it has decided to trial sales of their new paint pouch which, if it is adopted by the customers, should reduce landfill waste by 70%. The paint will only be available in the most popular colours – white and magnolia matt emulsions to begin with, and the go on sale this month.
Dulux marketing director Letty Edwards said: “We know that packaging is seen by the customer as one of the main environmental issues when purchasing paint.”
If the sales in this format are popular then DIY Doctor expects to see many more colours being available soon, followed by other manufacturers following suit.
As long as they are not supplied with one of the ‘easy opening’ strips like you get on ketchup sachets we think this is a good idea, and will even make carrying the paint home lighter.
Visit our projects pages for lots of ideas on what to paint and how to do it.
Sep 08
If you have purchased a property for renting out or redecorating an existing property, the décor needs to not only reflect your target market, but also protect your investment for the future. If you have brought a home and thinking of renting out to families and pet owners there are specific décor designs to also consider.
Flooring
Pets, especially cats and dogs will malt and the job of hoovering for the tenant and for the home owner after the tenancy has ceased can be tedious. Laminate flooring is easy to clean with muddy paws being wiped away rather than cleaning and scrubbing carpet. It is also more cost effective than real wood flooring.
Wood and laminate can expand as the temperature within a home rises. This can cause the floor to lift and leave gaps from the flooring. It is important to remove any skirting board from previous flooring before laying your laminate otherwise you will have to cut and fit the laminate to the skirting board, this will cause problems if you have to change the skirting later. Ensure you also use beading to finish off the look and keep hairs from setting between the flooring and skirting board.
The kitchen also needs suitable flooring to not only accommodate the heavy foot traffic, but also the fact that pets claws can affect certain flooring. The option of ceramic floor tiles are ideal, as these can withstand heavy foot traffic aswell as pets claws, whereas vinyl flooring can lead to scratches and therefore ruined.
Cat Flaps and Doors
If you have brought a property with a cat flap it might a good idea to leave it there. If you intend to use the property afterwards for pets make sure the cat flap can be locked from the inside. Not all tenants will have a cat and make request the addition of a cat flap. This is something that can be resolved with the tenant though.
Kitchen Cupboards
When installing a kitchen for a rented property, make sure the doors are easy to keep clean. Avoid cupboard doors with grooves and exquisite detail as small children can get messy and when it comes to eating or playing, those grooves are a great place for food to get stuck.
Ensure that you correctly fit plinths to the kitchen cupboards. This will ensure that food, spillages and pet hairs are not going to end up at the back of the kitchen cupboard units and will attract vermin. A waterproof strip on the edge of the plinth will prevent any water spillages from seeping into the plinth itself.
Jacey has brought her first home and is also redecorating an existing house for renting. Her experiences with buying a home and getting into DIY projects is what started the idea for her DIYHomeAdvice blog. She is a keen DIY enthusiast and likes to share top tips on decorating both a new home and existing one for renting.
Sep 05
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has long been a champion of rich colours in the home. Now a Littlewoods survey claims to show that if you paint your bedroom purple you are likely to be twice as …er… active there, than if you paint it neutral shades like beige and grey.
Llewelyn-Bowen said: “For years I have been telling British homeowners, a beige bedroom makes for a beige sex life…The sexiest combination would be purple walls, lilac silk sheets and a violet duvet cover.”
Image from corearchitect.co.uk
If Purple isn’t your thing, then what about red? Think of the well-known paint brand advert with the young couple producing so many children they have to repaint their red bedroom white? Well the same survey backs up this scenario showing that red is the next most sexy colour.
So if you want to put a little colour into your love life, why not break open the luscious paint and go for a change of scene?
For help and advice on how to paint, and equipment to make the job easier, visit our project pages where you will find lots of painting subjects – from paint effects to types of roller.
Aug 28
Buy to Let might have fallen from the headlines recently after its popularity during the pre-recession housing boom, but it is still an option for many investors.
If you are making your first move into this market it’s important that you make your property as attractive as possible to your target tenants. Here are our tips for decorating your property which can be tweaked to suit any budget:
- Decide whether you will be offering your property furnished, unfurnished or part furnished. This will partly depend on the property type – for example student lets need to be furnished and they have specific requirements such as desks in bedrooms. For other tenancy types it’s best to research the local market and see what’s standard for your area and if it’s cost effective for you to furnish it. For furniture, choose fairly neutral pieces but tailor them to the market. For example, if you want to make it more homely you could use French style furniture in a bedroom to create a feminine family feel.
- It’s the standard piece of advice for landlords, but keep it neutral. Tenants will want to walk in and be able to quickly imagine themselves living there, and styles or colour schemes which are too individual and daring can be off putting. Avoid white apart from in bathrooms as it can look too stark. Magnolias and hints of yellow add warmth without being over the top.
- Think about your target tenants. Young professionals? Couples? Families? Students? This will impact on your design choices. Students are more likely to appreciate interesting or personal touches, while young professionals in general will want sleek, modern décor which is stylish but also easy to maintain and keep clean. Families are more likely to prioritise comfort and practicality, and touches such as storage space.
- Don’t forget that when your tenants move out you will need to fully clean the property for the next inhabitants. Decorating your property with this in mind can save you a lot of bother down the line. For example, choosing silk finish paints will make your walls easier to wipe clean and is durable and less likely to be marked. Use mould and water resistant paint for bathrooms and kitchens. Good quality carpets withstand industrial cleaning better than cheap ones, but this will depend on your budget. It might be more cost effective to choose cheaper carpets and just replace them every few years. Remember – patterned carpets hide stains better. Wood or laminate floors which have a good coating on them can be cleaned easily but consider whether your target market will prefer exposed flooring or carpets. You might need to change mattresses and update bedroom furniture, so think about how easy this will be do to.
- Always make sure the property is sparkling clean for viewings and think about other ways to show off your space and fulfil its potential. If you have a small room, putting in a mirror is a simple way to open it up and increase the light. If you have the budget to add a couple of fairly neutral decorations, such as a picture or wall hanging, and you think this would be appropriate then do it. Tiny touches such as putting a toothbrush holder in the bathroom can make it seem more hospitable and welcoming.
